Tie-plate.



Patented May 27, |902.

No. 700,998. l

B. WULHAUPTER.

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B. WULHAUPTER.

TIE PLATE.

(Application filed Sept. 30, 1901.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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BENJAMIN lVOIiI-IAUPTER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

TIE-PLATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of' Letters Patent No. 700,998, dated May2'?, 1902. Application filed September 30, 1901. Serial No. 77,057. (Nomodel.)

T0 all whom, it may concern.:

Beit known that I, BENJAMIN WOLHAUP- TER, of Chicago, in the c ounty ofCook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Tie-Plates; and I do hereby declare that the followingis a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference markedthereon, which form a part of this specication.

This invention relates to improvements in railway-tie plates which areadapted to be interposed between the rails and ties for the purpose ofpreventing the wearing away of the ties. One of the primary requisitesof tie-plates of this character in order to insure the general adoptionthereof under practical conditions is that the plates shall possessample strength to withstand the excessive strains and shocks broughtthereon by the weight of passing trains and be constructed to insure apermanent attachment to the ties and yet shall be made of such simpleconstruction and contain such minimum amount of metal as to addcomparatively little cost to a railway-track in connection with whichthey are used.

One of the principal objects of my invenf tion is to provide animprovement in tieplates of the character described which will enabletie-plates possessing the characteristics essential to a practicalarticle to be economically manufactured with the use of a minimum amountof metal.

The invention has for its further object general improvements in theconstruction of tie-plates, as will hereinafter more fully appear.

The invention consists in the matters hereinafter set forth, and moreparticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of a tie-plate made inaccordance with my invention, showing also in perspective one end of arail resting thereon. Fig. 2 is a transverse section of a tie, showingthe plate illustrated in Fig. l attached thereto. Fig. 3 is a transversesection of a slightly-modified form of tie-plate and means for attachingthe same to the tie. Fig. et illustrates the position of thefastening-prongs illustratedin Fig.

3 after the same have been driven into the tie. Fig. 5 is a view showingin side elevation an improved form of holding-prongs for the plate.Figs. 6, 7, and 8 illustrate modified forms of the bearing-surface ofthe plate. Fig. 9 is a transverse section on line 9 9 of Fig. 8.

First referring to the construction shown in Figs. l and 2, A designatesthe tie-plate as a whole, B the tie to which the plate is attached, andC the rail resting on the plate and secured to the tie by means of theusual spikes D. The body of said plate is generally fiat and is providedon its under surface with a plurality of parallel tapered flanges A' AA2 A2, parallel with the side margins of the plate, and the flanges A2are located between the outer flanges. Said plate is provided with aplurality of spike-holes a, three being herein shown, through which passthe spikes D, by which the rails are secured to the tie. The lianges A'A2 are adapted to be driven their full length into the ties, whereby thebody of the plate rests firmly upon the upper surface of the tie. Saidfianges are driven into the tie parallel with the grain thereof, so asnot to cut the fiber of the tie and there by weaken the same. Theflanges A' A2 give stiffness to the plate and prevent the same frombuckling under the heavy strain brought thereon and also aid to hold theplate in place on the ties. I

In addition to the parallel flanges A A2, I provide holding-prongs A2,which are cut out from the body of the plate and bent downwardly atright angles thereto. Said prongs are made considerably wider or deeperthan the fianges A A2 and are located between the exterior flanges, thesame being shown in the drawings as located between the intermediateiianges A2. Said prongs are generally triangular, each being dividedfrom the body of the plate by two divergent cuts and being bent orfolded along the line of its base, one of said prongs being locatedadjacent to one of said flanges A2 and the other prong adjacent to theother flange and out of line with the first-mentioned prong. The lowerends of saidpron gs are preferably made as wide as practicable and areshown as provided with notches c3. Said prongs being made of the samethickness from the top to the bottom IOO thereto, adhere closely to thefiber of the tie when driven thereinto and afford effectual resistanceto the accidental displacement of the plate due to or from other cause.

0n the upper surface of the plates are formed a plurality of independentintegral protuberances or elevations a a2. The protuberances ct arelocated over or nearly over the intermediate flanges A2 and may beplaced either regularly or irregularly, while the protuberances a2 arespaced at irregular intervals about the surface of the plate,principally between the planes of the intermediate flanges and the sidemargins of the plate. The upper surfaces of said protuberances are flatand are located in a common plane and constitute the bearing-surface onwhich the rail rests. Said bearing-surface for the rail is made in themanner described for the purpose of allowing cinders, sand, and thelike, which lodge between the rail and plate, opportunity to escape andprevent wear of the rail and plate by the grinding of such interposedforeign particles between the same. The protuberances ct a2 are eachseparated from adjacent protuberances by spaces of lsufficient extent topermit free escape of such particles from the space between the rail andthe top surface of the plate.

As shown in Fig. 2, the protuberances a2 are hollow 'on their undersurfaces, so that the upper or bearing walls of said protuberances arenot thicker than the body of the plate. This construction results in aconsiderable saving of metal and at the same time does not weaken theplate, it being observed that the weight is brought upon'thenearly-vertical parts, which constitute the circular walls of saidhollow protuberances.

The preferred manner of making tie-plates as described is as follows:Said plates are cut from bars previously rolled to give the same thedesired cross-sectional form, said rolling operation forming on the barsthe flanges A A2 and a part or all of the protuberances a a2. The platesarel thereafter punched to form the spike-holes a and are cut to,provide the holding prongs A3, said prongs being thereafter bentdownwardly into the position shown. In the rolling process the marginsof the bar are turned downwardly to form the flanges A', and the flangesA2 are formed in suitable grooves in one of the forming-rolls. The otherforming-roll is provided with suitable recesses, in which are formedduring the rolling operation the protuberances ct', locatedl over theintermediate flanges A2, said recesses being spaced about the perimeterof the roll to form the protuberances a with regard to the end marginsof the plates thereafter cut from the bar. The hollow protuberances a2are thereafter formed in the plate by punching or striking the metalthereof upwardly by the use of suitable punching or swaging dies. If theprotuberances a d2 be made solid, they may all be formed in the jarsincident to passi'n g trains rolling operation; but when a portion ofthe protuberances are made hollow practical difficulties are met whichprevent the same from being economicallyformed in the rolling process,the chief of which is the difculty of gearing together forming-rolls tosecure the registry or coperation of elevation-s and depressions thereonby which may be formed the Ihollow protuberances. The operation offorming the hollow protuberances d2 is preferably effected by suitabledies having a plurality of rigid independent punches, so that all ofsaid protuberances may be formed by one operation. In this way offorming said protuberances I am enabled to form the same by the use ofless metal than if they were rolled on the plate atthe time the bar fromwhich the plate is cutis subject to the rolling operation.

The plate shown in Figs. 3 and 4C is provided with integralholding-prongs A4, which are bent downwardly from the plate andoppositely inclined at theirlower ends, the prongs shown as slightlyconverged. With this construction when the prongs are driven into thetie by reason of their Obliquity with respect to the body of the platethe lower ends thereof are directed toward each other, and when saidprongs have been driven to their full length into the tie the lower endof each prong is bent inwardly and may cross the plane of the other, asshown in Fig. 4. This construction obviously affords a greaterresistance to the withdrawal of the prongs than Where the said prongsare driven directly into the tie at right angles to the body of theplate. The lower ends of the prongs in either of the constructions shownmay be provided with barbs d4, as shown in Fig. 5, which when the prongis driven into the tie affords an additional resistance to thewithdrawal of the prong and the displacement of the yplate of which theprong lforms a part.

In Figs. (5, 7, 8, and 9 I have illustrated modified forms of theprotuberances for the plate A, the upper surface of which protuberancesconstitute the bearing-surface for the rail. In each of theconstructions shown in these figures the protuberances are formedentirely upon thel upper surface of the plate and are formed in therolling operation.

In Fig. 6 the protuberances a6 are substantially square, while in Fig. 7the protuberances dl are of general lozenge shape. In

IIO

each of these figures the protuberances are shown as arranged in rowswhich extend obliquely to the side and end margins of the plate; butsimilar protuberances may be i1'- regularly arranged, as is the casein-the construction shown in Fig. l. In Figs. 8 and 9 the protuberancesas have the form of circular anges or ribs which are raised above thesurface of the plate and are disposed at irregular intervals upon saidplate. In this case the upper margins of said ribs constitute thebearing-surface for-said rail. The plate shown in Figs. 6, '7, 8, and 9maybe provided with holding-prongs, such as hereinbefore described.

Among the advantages of forming the bearing-surfaces for the rail on theupper surfaces of protuberances in the manner described is that a plateof ample strength may be made thereby with a much less quantity of metalthan where the bearing-surface for the rail is formed on the principalsurface of the plate or upon longitudinal ribs or elevations formedthereon. Moreover, said pro- `tuberances being separated from each otherby spaces permit cinders and the like which lodge between the rails andthe plate to escape therefrom in all directions and not be restricted insuch escape to longitudinal channels or grooves between elevations orribs when the bearing surface of the plate is formed on such ribs.

lt will be observed that in all of the forms shown the protuberances areso disposed as not to form rows parallel with the side margins of thebody of the plate, thereby avoiding symmetrically-arranged obstructionsto the free passage of the cinders and sand from the space between railand plate.

The plate described is obviously inexpensive to manufacture and affordsa structure ofgreat strength as compared with the amount of metalcontained therein.

I claim as my inventionl. A tie-plate provided on its upper surface witha plurality of separated protuberances, the upper surfaces of whichconstitute the rail-bearing surface.

2. A tie-plate provided on its upper surface with a plurality ofseparated protuberances, the upper surfaces of which constitute therail-bearing surface, and on its under surface with tie-engagingflanges.

3. A tie-plate provided on its upper surface with a plurality ofseparated protuberances, the upper surfaces of which constitute therail-bearing surface, and holding prongs or flanges cut from the body ofthe plate and bent downwardly therefrom.

4. A tie-plate provided on its upper surface with a plurality ofseparated protuberances, the upper surfaces of which constitute therail-bearing surface, and on its under surface with tie-engaging flangesarranged parallel with the side margins thereof, and holdingprongs cutfrom the body of the plate between said flanges and bent downwardly fromsaid plate.

5. A tie-plate provided on its upper surface with a plurality ofseparated protuberances,

the upper surfaces of which constitute the rail-bearing surface, and onits under surface at or near the margins thereof with two tieengagingiianges and with an intermediate flange or flanges depending from saidplate between and parallel with said outer flanges, and holding-prongscut from the body of said plate and bent downwardly from the plate.

f. A tie-plate provided on its upper surface with elevated parts, theupper surfaces of which constitute the bearing-surface for the rail andon its lower part with rail-engaging flanges arranged parallel with theside margins of the plate, and holding-prongs cut from the body of thesaid plate between said fian ges and bent downwardly therefrom.

7. A tie-plate provided on its lower surface with a plurality ofparallel tie engaging Hanges and on its upper surface with separatedprotuberances, which form supportingsurfaces for the rail and which arelocated over one or more of the flanges.

S. A tie-plate provided on its upper surface with a plurality of hollowseparated protube rances, the upper surfaces of which constitute therail-bearing surface.

9. A tie-plate provided on its lower surfaces with tie-engaging flangesand on its upper surfaces in its parts between said flanges with aplurality of separated protuberances, formed by striking upwardly themetal of the plate, and which form rail-supporting surfaces.

l0. A tie-plate provided on its upper surface with a plurality ofseparated protuberances, the upper surfaces of which constitute therail-bearing surface, and on its lower surface with rail-engagingfianges, certain of said protuberances being located on the plate overone or more of the flanges, and others of said protuberances beinglocated in the parts of the plate between the flanges and being struckup from the metal of the plate.

ll. A rolled-metal tie-plate provided with tie-engagngflanges whichextend throughout the length of the plate parallel with the side marginsthereof,and separated protuberances on the upper surface of the plate,the upper surfaces of which constitute the rail-bearing surface, certainof said protuberances being located over the flanges and holding-prongscut from the body of the plate between said flanges and turneddownwardly'therefrom.

l2. A rolled-metal tie-plate provided with tie-engaging flanges,whichextend throughout the length of the plate parallel with the side marginsthereof, and separated protuberances on the upper surface thereof, theupper surfaces of which constitute the rail-bearing surface, certain ofsaid protuberances being located directly over the flanges and beingspaced along said flanges, and others thereof being located between theflanges and made hollow with their upper walls no thicker than the bodyof the plate.

13. A rolled-metal tie-plate provided with tie-engaging flanges whichextend throughout the length of the plate parallel with theside marginsthereof and adjacent to said margins, intermediate flanges parallel withsaid outer fianges,separated protuberances on the upper surfaces of theplate, the upper surfaces of which constitute the rail-bearing surface,certain of said protuberances being located directly over theintermediate iianges and spaced at equal distances apart, and holding-IIO ing-surface of the plate, said protubel'ances I5 being irregularlyspaced upon the plate.

16. A tie-plate provided on its upper surface with a plurality ofseparated circular protuberances.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I affix mysignature, in presence of two witnesses, this 27th day of September, A.D. 1901.

BENJAMIN WOLHAUPTER.

Witnesses C. CLARENCE POOLE,

BEETHA A. PRICE.

